TUI withdraws from Palma maritime bus project

The Balearic Islands Port Authority (APB) has confirmed that the consortium led by TUI has withdrawn from the tender to manage the Bus Nàutic de Palma maritime transport service. Although TUI had previously ratified its bid in January and was selected by a technical committee in March for being “sufficiently advantageous and economically viable,” the company officially withdrew on August 3.

The APB described the decision as “unexpected” and “difficult to justify,” noting that TUI’s withdrawal was unilateral and contrary to previous commitments. While TUI cited concerns regarding the boat leasing market and operational arrangements, the APB maintained that these were matters the bidder should have addressed during the initial proposal stage.

The withdrawal necessitates a new tender process, delaying the launch of the sustainable transport service which was originally intended to begin by the end of this year. The APB intends to present a new tender to its Board of Directors in September to keep the project on track.